Orioles caps as popular in the Orient as global talent Joan Jett, the biggest Orioles fan in the entertainment industry.

Imagine the advertising dollars Coke, McDonald's, Disney and Hair Club for Men would be willing to pay if the game were watched by the entire world. Budweiser could use global expansion of baseball as a means to penetrate the German beer market.

There is no reason to think baseball would not be a big hit throughout the world. After all, soccer captivates much of the global sporting public, and baseball has way more to offer than that sport.

The game just happened to start in the United States, but there is nothing intrinsically American about the qualities of baseball. The relaxing pace and pastoral charm of the game would appeal to the escapist needs of people of all nationalities.

More importantly, to the cash-conscious syndicate, the game could even become trendy worldwide.

Assuming strides will be made in transportation, that logistical hurdle could be cleared. Already, a supersonic transport can make it from the East Coast to Europe in 3 1/2 hours.

If the WW III theory is on the money (pesos, francs, pounds, etc.), then the syndicate views this players strike not as one that can harm the game irreparably, rather as one that indirectly will allow the game to mushroom.

Cha-ching.

Union blunder

The players' union stands on the right side of reason -- why should they pay for the owners' spending habits? -- but the union, it appears, made a tactical blunder by striking so early. They figured the owners would repeat history and cave, but thanks in part to the "21" rule that requires votes from 21 owners to agree to a settlement during a work stoppage, the owners are more unified than in years past.

In hindsight, by striking the players cost themselves money and cost some of the union members a chance at history. Matt Williams could have chased Roger Maris. Nothing ever gets done until the ninth inning of negotiations anyway. The ninth inning would have arrived in October, instead of August. And nothing would have happened, just as nothing will happen now.

The controlling owners are willing to sacrifice this season and next, if necessary, to get what they want. A salary cap is what they want.

Turns out they meant what they said this time. Who woulda thunk it?

Laughing in Atlanta

Stan Kasten and John Schuerholz of the Atlanta Braves laughed long and hard all summer at bogus reports that somehow gained national steam that indicated Schuerholz was set to take a job with the Orioles.

But Schuerholz, extended by the Braves through 1999, stopped laughing when those who clumsily attempted to cover their tracks reported that Schuerholz was ready to come to the Orioles but told friends he changed his mind because he didn't want to work for Orioles owner Peter Angelos.

Schuerholz didn't find that fiction too amusing and wrote a letter to Angelos to inform him the reports were bogus. Not to worry, Angelos didn't give them any credence anyway.

As has been the case for months, the most likely front office scenario has Frank Robinson becoming general manager, Roland Hemond vice chairman. But no movement is expected to take place until the future of baseball is more certain.